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How unified communications helps SMEs keep up with tech evolution

You only have to look around you to see that both Australian businesses and consumers have embraced emerging technologies with both hands.

In fact, digital devices and systems are now a major player in the national marketplace, contributing $79 billion to the Australian economy in 2013-14, according to research collated by Deloitte. This is an incredible increase of around 37 per cent ($29 billion) from the industry's impact just a few years earlier in 2011.

While this growth is nothing short of amazing and reflects an increasingly connected business environment, the rapid proliferation of technology means that companies are still scrambling to work out how to leverage it to their advantage. One problem local companies are facing is that, in the current state of the market, finding the right balance between technology and employees is becoming more difficult.

From deciding on automation processes to replace more manual tasks to hiring those with skills in emerging technologies to create future-proof strategies, the evolution of technology is causing a major disruption in businesses across Australia.

Nowhere is this more evident than in Australia's graduate employment statistics. The Deloitte report found that 47 per cent of people who studied Information and Communications Technology (ICT) are now working in unrelated positions such as advertising, marketing and accounting. This suggests that even roles outside the ICT industry now require a similar skill set and proficiency with a range of digital technology.

So, how can local businesses keep with up this rapidly evolving industry? By hiring those who are in the know. Technologies like unified communications allow businesses to employ and manage a workforce of tech-savvy people, no matter where they are located. It's a disruptive technology that takes business phone systems to a new level while ensuring employees are equipped with the skills the modern business world needs. In fact, the Deloitte study pointed out that Australia will need another 100,000 workers in the ICT sector by 2020 to support the ongoing expansion of the industry.

Essentially, to maximise the upcoming opportunities in the market, companies need to be prepared to evolve alongside the changing face of business.